Inthis unique set of books edited by Dr. Regan A. R. Gurung describing the variety of cultural approaches to health practiced by people of varying cultural heritages, the chapter SANTERIA AS A CULTURALLY HEALING PRACTICE is co-authored by Dr. Martínez, Dr. Mathew J. Taylor, Dr. Wilma J. Carter, Ms. Jami L. Hirsch, and Ms. Cheryl K. Webster from the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

The book describes the variety of cultural approaches to health practice and places them in stark context with traditional Western approaches to health care and medicine. Examining health practices such as Ayurveda, an ancient system of medicine that focuses on the sensing of the body organs, the mind, and the soul; and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the author examines why these different approaches can explain some of the cultural variations in health behaviors, differences in why people get sick, and how they cope with illness.